Inlet Historical Society
149 Rt 28 • P.O. Box 473 • Inlet, NY 13360

(315) 357-2896

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14 comments on “Location & Contact”

My family has been coming to Inlet for over 50 years. We have been staying the the cottages in Arrowhead Park for about 50 years. We just returned from our annual visit, and where we had a discussion on exactly how old the yellow cottages in Arrowhead Park are. I am 54 and remember that there were one or two other cottages where the playground is now. I have been unable to determine with any certainty when these cottages were built. Does anyone have and accurate date. So glad I discovered this website!!!!

To Joanne Stage; My family is the babcock’s that owned the camp prior to its sale to Drake’s Inn. My mother just moved back to the ADK,…I am trying to learn anything I can about the Babcock camp, can you help?chefkrohn@gmail.com

My father Evan Murdock passed away in April and rquested donations to IHA and we have not been informed who made a donations. We would like to thank them. Could some one please let us know.
Glenn Murdock 315-214-5015 or gmurdock_77@msn.com

Joanne
Apologize for the delay in responding. The society would be glad to have your donation of materials. Please drop them of fat the town hall for dianne thibado or Mitch lee. Thank you for thinking of us. That restaurant is now drake’s inn.

My name is Joanne Stage, I was born in 1937 and was a toddler running around our property on 7th Lake. My Dad John J Stage and Mom Frankie and Grandparents John and Myrtle Stage built Frankie and Johnnies Inn on RT 28 a few miles up the road from Inlet. I will be visiting from the 9 of June for a few days. I know that Dad sold the place to the Babcock family when he was in the Pacific during WWII. We visited every Holiday Weekend until the 60’s when I left New York State.Do you know the location I am speaking about? I have some souvenirs to donate, I was thinking of giving them to the Museum. I would love to acquire copies of any Historical Photos. I have some early film and lots of photos to donate if you want anything like that.
Joanne Stage

Bob, suggest you contact Town of Webb Historical Association in Old Forge; they have a wonderful website. The Weekly Adirondack published an article of mine that included some history on Camp Onondaga.
The excerpt from this is:
Fred and Ida Becker had married in Altamont, NY and briefly lived on a ranch near Denver, CO. During the years 1903 and 1904, the Beckers leased “Camp Onondaga”, located at the foot of Onondaga Mountain to the west of Murer’s Camp, from the Midler Estate.

Camp Onondaga was built and opened in 1896 for “guests and invalids” by Byron and Anna Steggall Midler. Byron Midler operated a successful grocery wholesale market in Syracuse. In 1899, the Midlers added an additional large cottage expected to be finished for the summer. Byron Midler died at Syracuse in July 1901. In April 1905, Anna Midler died at the hotel.

Melzer D. Aldrich operated Camp Onondaga in 1905. Aldrich also advertised his own cottage, “6 rooms all furnished” in 1904 and 1905. In 1906, Aldrich opened his “newly built and furnished” Camp Monroe. Today, Camp Monroe is Brynilsen’s Viking Village.

Anna’s son, James Abraham Garfield Midlar, then took over Camp Onondaga, later marrying Iva Lee Martin in September 1916. Shortly after giving birth to a second son in July 1924, Iva suffered the loss of her husband in October by suicide in Syracuse. Suffering “a long illness”, James shot himself “after kissing his wife and starting for a walk.” (Utica Observer Dispatch)

Iva continued to operate Camp Onondaga as Mrs. James A. G. Midlar until marrying Levi R. Deis in 1927. Afterward, the hotel’s owner was listed as Mrs. James A. G. Midlar Deis and its name changed to Onondaga Hotel. Mrs. Deis sold the hotel in 1936 to James, William, John and Mildred Foley who changed its name to Foley’s Northwoods (North Woods) Inn. According to Mildred’s obituary, the hotel was sold in 1977 and became known as North Woods Inn. Presently (2009) it is the North Woods Inn and Resort.

Jason, just saw your comment. If you turn down South Shore Road in Inlet , Screamin Eagle Tavern is on the corner, in less than a mile will be Loomis Road on the left. Down this road is Fern Park. Around 1910 or so the property was owned by Supervisor Frank Tiffan and Town Clerk William Bill. Following is from the Town’s webb site:

Fern Park
A town park located on Loomis Road, off the South Shore Road. In summer, this park offers a playground, ballfield, public restrooms and a network of hiking & mountain biking trails. Winter brings sledding, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing with an indoor skating rink, public restrooms and warming rooms in the Pavilion.

Hello my name is Bob Letteney and I would like to find out as much about Camp Onodaga and Bald Mtn. Hotel during the mid to late 1920’s. So if you could assist or point me in the right direction I would greatly appreciate this, thank you.

Hi, I recently found an old post card that showed a baseball field and grand stands at Fern Park in Inlet. Can you tell me where Fern Park is/was? I am familiar with Arrowhead Park/Hotel but have never heard of Fern Park. Thanks!

the name did not ring a bell. I went to a newspaper site, http://www.fultonhistory.com , where you can search for topics. I did find a 1897 wedding reported in Utica for George Henry Cole to Caroline Henrietta Herbig which gives details on the wedding. There are other hits for the name. I suggest you check out the site for this and other members of teh family. There were also entris for a George Henry Cole in the 1930s; these are entries in the Auburn papers. You might also check out ancestry.com.

Subject: mid to late 1800s
From: John Merrill
Date: Mon, Nov 09, 2009 1:01 pm
To: info@inlethistoricalsociety.org
Hello
I am looking for any information about a George Henry Cole my great great Grandfather who I have heard may have lived around Inlet sometime around the mid to late 1800s. He was a surveyor on the Panama canal and so may have been a surveyor in Inlet. My Grandfather Norman F Cole, returned from C.T. to work on a highway project in Inlet in the 30s or 40s. Any information is greatly appreciated.
Thank you. John Merrill

Gerry, there is currently a MacBeth with a camp on the beach at Limekiln. But for geneological purposes, you can try sites such as ancestry.com and others. Also, unless taxes were paid there may not be public records. You can try the various departments off of the Town of Inlet’s website. You can also search the newspapers at http://www.fultonhistory.com which may have obituraries and other family events that may include the McBeth name. Earlier in the 1890s there was a John McBeth who supervised lumber operations in the area. These are for starters.

Greetings. My name is Gerry Charles. My grandfather John F. Mcbeth built a camp on Limekiln Lake in the 30’s – 40’s. The camp (since remodeled) still exists and is owned by the Mcbeth family. I was wondering if you could provide me any direction in terms of filling in some genealogical blanks? I’m interested in knowing if there are any public records relating to his time spent in Inlet – Limekiln.